Footwear article

ABSTRACT

The conventional step-in or slide-on slipper tends to loosen and slide off the front of the foot during normal walking motion. Binding or otherwise tightly clasping the slipper to the foot defeats the general purpose of the slipper as an easily attired article of footwear. This invention is an article adapted to be rapidly assembled into a slipper of the step-in or slide-on type that remains comfortably loose during wearing and is adapted to remain secured to the foot during walking or other foot movement.

United States Patent Dallas N. Davenport, Seabrook, N.H.

[72] Inventors Sides! mit WEPWH Q [2]] Appl. No. 53,759 [22] Filed July10, 1970 [4S] Patented Sept. 7, 1971 [7 3 Assignee The General Tire &Rubber Company [54] FOOTWEAR ARTICLE 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs. I

[52] U.S. CI 36/115 [51] lnt.Cl A43!) 3/12 [50] Field of Search 36/11.5, 9 R, 9 A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,119,233 5/!938 .ludkins36/1l.5

2,534,975 12 1950 Johnson 3,002,297 10/1961 Neilson PrimaryExaminer-Patrick D. Lawson AttorneysFrank C. Rote, Jr., John J. Murpheyand Denbigh S. Matthews ABSTRACT: The conventional step-in or slide-onslipper tends to loosen and slide off the front of the foot duringnormal walking motion. Binding or otherwise tightly clasping the slipperto the foot defeats the general purpose of the slipper as an easilyattired article of footwear. This invention is an article adapted to berapidly assembled into a slipper of the step-in or slide-on type thatremains comfortably loose during wearing and is adapted to remainsecured to the foot during walking or other foot movement.

PATENTED SEP 7 IQTI 3,603; 006

sum 1 or 2 INVEN'I'OKS DALLAS N. DAVENPORT Y SIDNEY Z. SMITH & ATTORNEYvmminsar H971 3,603,006

sum 2 ur 2 I INVEN'I'ORS DALLAS N. DAVENPORT SIDNEY 2. SMITH BY aATTORNEY FOOTWEAR ARTICLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention pertains to the field of footwear. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to slippers of the step-in orslide-on type.

2. Description of the Prior Art Step-in or slide-on type slippers arethose that generally comprise a sole portion and a frontal foot(including toe) encircling portion and noticeably lacks a heel claspingportion so that they may be attired by merely sliding ones foot alongthe sole portion and into the frontal foot encircling portion. Certainforms of this slipper are known in the vernacular as clackers because ofthe noise emitted by the rearward portion of the sole flapping againstthe heel of the foot during walking. These slippers are worn by personsof both sexes and all ages generally indoors but frequently out of doorsand in the home and other areas such as in hospitals.

The major function of this type of slipper is to protect the foot duringwalking. Specifically with regard to use of them in hospitals, this typeof slipper provides the patient with an easily accessible piece offootwear and for insulation from cold hospital floors, etc. In additionto these objectives, an additional aspect in regard to hospitalenvironments that encourages the use of this type of slipper is that itmay be put on and taken off by using the foot alone, i.e. it generallyneed not be put on by a third party (such as a nurse) and does notrequire the patient to bend over to tie or otherwise affix the slipper.

A common problem with this type of slipper is that it tends to slide offthe foot. During walking, the weight of the body is shifted from arather equal distribution over the entire length of the foot to thefront of the foot that comprises the toes and the foot ball mass-thelatter being the area under the joints of v the toes in the footitextends from the ball behind the great or large toe laterally across thewidth of the foot and ends at the ball behind the small toe; referenceHuman Figure John H. Vanderpoel, Bridgman Publishers, Inc. New York,1948. This shift in weight causes the foot ball mass to temporarilyspread thereby straining the foot-encircling loop of the slipper.Repeated straining of this loop in combination with the naturalperspiration of the foot soon causes permanent stretching of the slipperloop and loosening of the slipper; during the forward step when the footleaves the ground and the foot ball mass relaxes or narrows, the forwardmomentum imposed on the slipper sends it flying off the foot.

There have been many attempts made at retaining the slipper on the footsuch as by application of bindings to the foot in the form of thongs,laces, and elastic bands. Many of these cure the tendency for theslipper to slide off, however, because they are bindings, they presentan uncomfortable aspect and defeat the general purpose of the slipper asan easily attired article of footwear. Other methods such as passing athong or narrow string from the sole up between the junction of thefirst and second toes of the foot and thence splitting it in twobindings that rejoint the sole on either side of the foot toward theheel has been partially successful, however, these too areuncomfortable.

In respect of hospital utilization of slide-on type slippers, one of themost perplexing aspects is that they must be packaged and boxed indifferent sizes to fit the different size feet of the patients.Packaging and boxing are necessary storing methods and utilize a greatamount of storage space. Other disadvantages are the high initial costof the slipper and the cost involved in washing them for reuse.

This invention is a flat article adapted for rapid assembly into aslipper to conform to a variety of foot sizes that has the unique aspectbeing capable of remaining on the foot during all stages of wearing,e.g. during sitting, walking, and running. The invention is based uponthe discovery of a unique notch design in the foot encircling loop thatpermits the slipper to remain loose on the foot during periods when thefoot has no weight upon it and then acts to gently clasp the slipper tothe foot during walking or running. The slippers of this invention,moreover, are capable of being worn on either foot without discomfort.

Therefore, the main object of this invention is an article adapted forassembly into a slipper to fit a wide range of foot sizes. Other objectsinclude a slipper that will remain securely attached to the foot duringall aspects of walking and running; an article that may be stored flatand as such require an extremely small amount of storage space; anarticle that may be easily fabricated into the pattern necessary toassemble it into a slipper; an article that may be made from a widerange of inexpensive materials; an article that may be assembled into aslipper for either the left or right foot; and, an article that isdisposable after use by a patient in a hospital without incurring thehigh cost of rewashing for reuse.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent toone skilled in the art when reading the subsequent description of thepreferred embodiment in light of the drawings attached hereto.

SUMMARY This invention is a fiat article adapted for rapid assembly intoa self-retaining slipper comprising an elongated sole portion havingfront and rear ends forming the sole of the slipper; a first pair ofstraps extending outward from the sole portion, one on either sidethereof and, adapted to be folded and joined into a loop to enclose thetoes and other frontal portions of the foot, means in combination withthe first pair of straps for joining the ends of the straps together, asecond pair of straps located rearward of the first pair of strapsextending outward from the sole portion one on either side thereof andadapted to be folded and joined into a loop that encircles the footrearward of the foot ball mass, means in combination with the secondpair of straps for joining the ends of the straps together, wherein thesecond pair of straps are characterized by forming a rearwardlyextending notch at the frontmost junction with the sole portion, thenotch acting to cause the second pair of straps to retain the slipper onthe foot during flexation thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the preferredembodiment of the article of this invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the preferred embodiment of the article of thisinvention in the form of a slipper positioned on a foot as the foot isat rest and in motion respectively.

FIGS. 4, S, and 6 are isometric views of different embodiments of thearticle of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT This invention is directedtowards step-in or slip-on type slippers that may find use in both homesand hospitals and that may be made from a wide variety of materials. Thepreferred embodiment of this invention will be directed toward anarticle easily adapted for use in hospitals, which it is felt, willderive the most benefit from this invention. This should not be taken asa limitation to the utilization of this invention however but merely asthe preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring particularly to the drawings wherein like parts are designatedwith like numerals throughout the six figures, FIG. 1 shows a plan viewof the preferred embodiment of the article of this invention. Thearticle in FIG. 1 is comprised of an elongated sole portion 1 havingfront end 3 and rear end 5, a first pair of straps 7 and 9 extendingoutward from sole portion l, one on either side of front end 3, means 11and 13 in combination with straps 7 and 9 for joining the ends of thestraps together, a second pair of straps l5 and 17 located rearward offirst pair of straps 7 and 9, extending from sole portion 1, one oneither side thereof, means 19 and 21 in combination with straps 15 and17 for joining the ends of the straps together, and notches 23 and 25 atthe frontmost junction of straps l5 and 17 with sole portion 1 whosespecific function will be herein explained. The symmetrical design ofthe article permits the slipper assembled therefrom to be worn on eitherfoot.

The article depicted in FIG. 1 should be made of flexible sheetlikematerial that is able to withstand the rigors of tension and abrasionplaced upon it during utilization as a slipper. Materials having thesespecifications are readily available; examples include plastics,rubbers, certain fabrics, papers, and supported films. As a specificexample of a material that generally meets all the qualifications forthis article is that known as supported vinyl films- These arelaminations of fabrics with a thin film or sheet of a fused,plasticized, vinyl polymer. These supported vinyl films are extremelyflexible,

' are highly tear and abrasion resistant and are waterproof andinsulating.

Fabrics for use in supported films may be knit, woven, or unwoven,however, the knit and the woven type are preferred. These fabrics may bemade from natural fibers such as wool, cotton, and silk, manmade fiberssuch as polyester, acrylic, etc., and mixtures thereof.

The vinyl polymer used to make the film is generally a ther- 'moplasticvinyl or vinyl-containing polymer or copolymer,

polymerized to a high molecular weight and admixed with a compatibleliquid plasticizer such as dioctyl phthalate to form a pliable mass thatis thereafter sheeted out in a calender and fused to form a film havinga thickness varying from I to I mils. The'vinyl film may in additioncontain pigments, fungicides, bacteriacides, colorants, fillers, andblowing agents. Generally speaking, the vinyl sheet is either coatedwith an adhesive and laminated in a calender with the fabric or thesheet and the fabric are simultaneously introduced into the nip of acalender roll at a temperature sufficient to soften the vinyl film andbond the two together. A host of other materials are as equallyadaptable to this article as is the aforedescribed supported vinyl film.

A unique aspect of the article shown in FIG. 1 is that it may be madefrom scrap materials or materials that otherwise would have litter or noutilitarian value. In the production of supported films it is widelyknown that yardage containing printing and other defects and otherspoiled yardage may not be chopped up and reused as would be the case ofnonsupported vinyl films because the presence of the chopped fabricwould interfere with other subsequent film forming processes. As thismaterial is virtually useless, it may be stamped or otherwise cutout toform the article shown in FIG. 1 and used as a disposable slipper for avery low material cost; the printing and other defects would notgenerally destroy its utilization as a slipper. In addition, theflatness of the material used to make these articles permits them to bestacked by the hundreds in areas where one or two conventional premoldedslippers are presently stored.

A further unique aspect of the article shown in FIG. 1 is that it may beassembled into a slipper that will fit either foot. Thus, all efforts atkeeping and storing left-footed and rightfooted slippers are effectivelyeliminated.

Front end 3 of sole portion 1 in FIG. 1 forms the front or toe end ofthe slipper. It is generally a smooth end terminating in a curve ofsufficient radius that, when formed into a loop via straps 7 and 9, thesole-forming portion of front end 3 will be flush with the ends of thetoes and will not drag on the floor to catch or otherwise cause injury.Similarly, rear end 5 of sole portion 1 has a straight laterally cut endwith rounded comers to be placed under the heel of the foot.

First pair of straps 7 and 9 extend outward from sole portion 1, one oneither side of front end 3 and are adapted to be folded up over thesides of the foot and joined together into loop to enclose the toes andother frontal portions of the foot (reference FIGS. 2 and 3).

Means 11 and 13 are positioned in combination with the ends of straps 7and 9 respectively and function to join the ends of the folded strapstogether. As shown in this particular embodiment, means 11 consists of aplurality of slits through straps 7 near the end thereof wherein theslits are centrally positioned therein whereas means 13 comprises aT-shaped tab on the end of strap 9. Joining of straps 7 and 9 isaccomplished by folding the outer ends of T-shaped tab 13 inward inpassing the tab through one of the slits until tab 13 protrudes throughthe slit and then springs opened to form the T-shaped tab that is lockedin the slit. Means 11 is shown as a plurality of slits so that thewearer may assemble strips 7 and 9 to fit his particular size foot.

The second pair of straps l5 and 17 also extend one on either side ofelongated sole portion 1 at a slightly acute angle with the central axisthereof. They are positioned rearward of first pair of straps 7 and 9and are adapted to be folded and joined into a loops, similar to straps7 and 9, that encircles the foot rearward of the foot ball mass as shownin FIGS. 2 and 3. At or near the ends of straps 15 and 17 are locatedmeans 19 and 21 respectively for joining the ends of the strapstogether. In this particular embodiment, means 19 and 21 comprise slitsand a T-shaped tab combination similar to means 1 l and 13, however,other means of joining the ends of the straps may be used. Examplesinclude buttons on one strap and corresponding button holes on the otherstrap; male snaps on one strap and female snaps on the other strap, afibrous pad on the outer side of one strap and a correspondingfiber-snagging pad affixed to the outer end of the other strap. Theseand other means of joining the strap ends may be used and are fullycontemplated herein. Located at the frontmost junction of straps 15 and17 with sole portion 1 are notches 23 and 25 that perform thefootretaining function of this invention, i.e. that of retaining theslipper on the foot during fiexation of the foot and slipper duringwalking. Notches 23 and 25 are elongated openings having their closedends extending toward rear end 5 and preferably are parallel to thecentral axis of sole portion 1. The major axis of the notches may varyfrom being parallel to the central axis of sole portion 1 up'to nearlytherefrom, i.e. more or less perpendicular to the central axis of thesole portion 1, however it has been found that the best operation of theslipper is obtained when the major axis of notches 23 and 25 areparallel or substantially parallel to the central axis of sole portion1.

The operation of notches 23 and 25 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Notches23 and 25 permit straps 15 and 17 to join sole portion 1 behind the football mass whereas straps 7 and 9 enclose the toes and frontal portionsof the foot in front of the foot ball mass. Thus, at total footrelaxation, i.e., in a sitting or standing position, the slipper isrelatively loose on the foot and may easily be slipped on and off.During fiexation of the foot, as in walking or running, theaforedescribed lateral spreading of the foot ball mass is permitted tooccur unrestrained by either set of straps and, as the ball massspreads, the instep of the foot flexes forward, the front portion of theloop, made by straps l5 and 17, is pulled to conform to the expansion ofthe weight-supporting section of the foot. This tension is transmittedto sole portion 1 and notches 23 and 25. Because of the offset conditioncreated by notches 23 and 25, the tension at this point tends to bendthe sole portion 1 inward. This mechanical action does not subject theencircling loop to undue strain by repeated stretching.

Although straps 7, 9, 15, and 17 may be made of elastic or otherstretchable material, there is no requirement whatsoever for such aconstruction. Actually, fabric supported vinyl films are not stretchableand have been found to function exceedingly well in this article. Thisall stems from the unique location of notches 23 and 25 in permittingthe foot to change shape without straining the straps.

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 show other embodiments of this invention. They allhave a sole portion 1 similar in functionality of sole portion 1 shownin FIG. 1 and a toe-retaining loop 27 similar in functionality tothe-combination of straps 7 and 9. Each of these embodiments alsoincorporates a rearwardly located foot-encircling strap 29 similar infunctionality to the combination of straps and 17 and incorporates adogleg" or "reverse bend configuration 31 having the same function asnotches 23 and 25, i.e., it permits expansion of the foot ball massduring walking motion and gently retains the slipper on the foot duringall motions. These slipper configurations may be molded in one piece orassembled from a plurality of parts. In addition, they may be made fromrelatively stiffer materials than that of the article shown in FIG. 1.Examples of these materials include leather, rubber, vinyl and otherplastics, and combinations thereof.

Although this description has been limited to a slipper for particularuse in hospitals, it should be remembered that the article and slipperof this invention may find use in many other areas indeed all areas thatutilize or deal with footwear.

What is claimed is:

1. A flat, flexible article adapted for assembly into a selfretainingslipper comprising:

a. an elongated sole portion having front and rear ends forming the soleof the slipper;

b. a first pair of straps extending outward from the front end of saidsole portion, one on either side thereof and adapted to be folded andjoined into a loop to enclose the toes and other frontal portions of thefoot;

c. means in combination with said first pair of straps for joining theends of said straps together;

d. a second pair of straps located rearward of said first pair of strapsextending outward from said sole portion, one on either side thereof,and adapted to be folded and joined into a loop that encircles the footrearward of the foot ball mass; and,

e. means in combination with said second pair of straps for joining theends of said straps together;

f. wherein said second pair of straps are characterized by formingrearwardly extending notches at the frontmost junction with said soleportion having the closed ends thereof extending toward the rear end ofsaid sole portion.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein said means in combination with saidfirst and second pairs of straps are adapted to be joined together atmultiple locations along said straps to form a variety of slipper sizes.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein said means in combination with saidfirst and second pairs of straps comprise T-shaped" tabs at the end ofone strap and slits near the end of said other strap for complementalreception thereof.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein said means in combination with saidfirst and second pairs of straps comprise buttons at the ends of onestrap and button holes near the end of the other strap for complementalreception thereof.

5. The flat article of claim 1 wherein said means in combination withsaid first and second pairs of straps comprise male snaps at the end ofone strap and female snaps near the end of the other strap forcomplemental reception thereof.

6. The article of claim wherein said article comprises a fabricsupported vinyl sheet.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein the major axis of said notch issubstantially parallel to the major axis of said sole portion.

1. A flat, flexible article adapted for assembly into a selfretainingslipper comprising: a. an elongated sole portion having front and rearends forming the sole of the slipper; b. a first pair of strapsextending outward from the front end of said sole portion, one on eitherside thereof and adapted to be folded and joined into a loop to enclosethe toes and other frontal portions of the foot; c. means in combinationwith said first pair of straps for joining the ends of said strapstogether; d. a second pair of straps located rearward of said first pairof straps extending outward from said sole portion, one on either sidethereof, and adapted to be folded and joined into a loop that encirclesthe foot rearward of the foot ball mass; and, e. means in combinationwith said second pair of straps for joining the ends of said strapstogether; f. wherein said second pair of straps are characterized byforming rearwardly extending notches at the frontmost junction with saidsole portion having the closed ends thereof extending toward the rearend of said sole portion.
 2. The article of claim 1, wherein said meansin combination with said first and second pairs of straps are adapted tobe joined together at multiple locations along said straps to form avariety of slipper sizes.
 3. The article of claim 1 wherein said meansin combinAtion with said first and second pairs of straps comprise''''T-shaped'''' tabs at the end of one strap and slits near the end ofsaid other strap for complemental reception thereof.
 4. The article ofclaim 1 wherein said means in combination with said first and secondpairs of straps comprise buttons at the ends of one strap and buttonholes near the end of the other strap for complemental receptionthereof.
 5. The flat article of claim 1 wherein said means incombination with said first and second pairs of straps comprise malesnaps at the end of one strap and female snaps near the end of the otherstrap for complemental reception thereof.
 6. The article of claimwherein said article comprises a fabric supported vinyl sheet.
 7. Thearticle of claim 1 wherein the major axis of said notch is substantiallyparallel to the major axis of said sole portion.